The following are summaries of today's
major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press
digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight
into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.
The Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea told
Al-Liwaa daily that the project of March 14 forces is not threatened, adding that all parties within the opposition are on good terms and there are no differences between the LF and the Future movement.
“Betting on such differences is a losing bet”, Geagea said, adding that he was unable to participate in the ceremony that launched the Future movement’s political document due to security reasons. Geagea stressed that he maintains contact with former PM Saad Hariri, even now that he’s abroad.
“The LF is against the strategic and calculated land purchase funded by suspicious money and parties”, Geagea said.
Geagea added that President Michel Sleiman, PM Najib Mikati and Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi took the right approach by forwarding a draft law that takes into consideration the $11 billion and the 8.9 trillion LBP, stressing that both sums of money were spent in the same way.
“This is a victory for March 14”, Geagea added.
Mikati told
An-Nahar daily that a positive atmosphere surrounded Friday’s cabinet session held in Baabda Palace, adding that discussions were nowhere near spiteful.
“What’s important for us is to regulate the financial reality, especially that no budget can be ready before the pending financial issue is settled”, Mikati said, “it was an exception and it should be settled once and for all”.
Speaking on the reason that prevented the cabinet from taking into account the draft forwarded by Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi, Mikati said that the proposals raised during the session were not final.
“Work is ongoing to reach a final equation that will be acceptable to all parties”, Mikati confirmed.
Ministerial sources and opposition sources told
As-Safir daily that the parliament will hold a session on March 15, adding that all MPs are expected to attend it. The sources stressed that Speaker Nabih Berri is likely to include the 8.9 trillion LBP draft at the end of the agenda to give a fair chance to other pressing draft laws.
The ministerial sources added that the majority will not halt its work because of the 8.9 trillion LBP.
An-Nahar daily quoted Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil as saying that a responsible, serious approach far from talks about a settlement prevailed over Friday’s cabinet session. Hassan Khalil added that the cabinet, in all its components, “attempted to settle public accounts while stressing the importance of adopting the budget.”
“We have come a long way and we agreed on a number of basis that PM Najib Mikati will crown [with his new draft]”, Hassan Khalil said.